The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) presents the annual EGLE Environmental Service Award.
This prestigious award honors two outstanding environmental projects –
Eligible projects demonstrate tangible results and benefits to Michigan’s environment, such as protecting the Great Lakes, restoring ecosystems, improving air or water quality, or conserving energy and resources.
Projects must also include an educational component that increases awareness around environmental issues facing Michigan.
EGLE Announces 2026 Environmental Service Award Winners
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is pleased to announce the 2026 EGLE Environmental Service Award winners.
The 6-8th grade Environmental Service Award winner is Universal Learning Academy's National Junior Honor’s Society Green School Committee for their schoolwide recycling project.
The 9-12th grade Environmental Service Award winner is Mason County Eastern Schools’ Science Class & Food Service Department for their MCE greenhouse revitalization project.
This prestigious award recognizes exceptional environmental projects completed by one middle and one high school student, group, or class in grades 6-12. Eligible projects demonstrate tangible results and benefits to Michigan’s environment, such as protecting the Great Lakes, restoring ecosystems, improving air or water quality, or conserving energy and resources. Projects must also include an educational component that increases awareness around environmental issues facing Michigan. Projects can be completed by school or extracurricular groups, between March 1, 2025 and February 28, 2026. If you have any questions, please email Samantha Lichtenwald at LichtenwaldS@Michigan.gov.
Winning projects will be honored at the MI Student Sustainability Summit, on May 8, 2026.
The MCE School Greenhouse project transformed an unused campus greenhouse into a student‑led sustainability and food‑production program supported by partnerships with the Mason County Eastern science class, MCE Food Service, Michigan State University Extension, and the Mason County Library Seed Library. Sparked by two students, the project began with cleaning the greenhouse, securing a grant, preparing soil beds, and launching a full planting cycle. Students gained hands‑on experience in planting, composting, watering, and monitoring plant health, ultimately harvesting fruits and vegetables used in school lunches to increase all students’ access to fresh, healthy produce.
Student innovation played a key role as learners designed seasonal growing plans, experimented with efficient watering and compost systems, and adapted planting schedules to maximize production. They worked with food service staff to clean and prepare harvested produce and collaboratively solved challenges such as soil quality and plant disease. Their efforts helped build a sustainable, closed‑loop system that connects food production, waste reduction, and environmental stewardship.
The project also deepened environmental awareness by helping students connect greenhouse operations to broader issues such as landfill overcrowding, resource conservation, food‑transportation emissions, and sustainable agriculture. Cross‑curricular lessons in science, STEM, agriculture, and nutrition reinforced these concepts, while student presentations and demonstrations expanded awareness among peers and the broader school community.
Designed for long‑term sustainability, the project includes structured maintenance schedules, student leadership teams, curriculum integration, and ongoing collaboration with staff and community partners. Future plans include expanding crop varieties and student‑led research, ensuring the greenhouse remains a lasting source of environmental learning and community benefit.
Universal Learning Academy’s project was a student‑driven effort led by the National Junior Honor Society, who transformed a basic recycling concern into a comprehensive sustainability program that ultimately contributed to the school earning its 2026 Michigan Green Schools certification. Students identified the lack of recycling infrastructure, researched solutions, and designed a long‑term, student‑managed system supported by schoolwide education and outreach. Their innovation included independently organizing a Bingo Night fundraiser to purchase classroom recycling bins and creating peer‑led presentations that make recycling and environmental stewardship engaging for younger students.
The initiative has also strengthened environmental learning across grade levels. NJHS members deliver classroom lessons on recycling and waste reduction, while advanced courses such as AP Environmental Science connect these practices to statewide issues like Great Lakes protection, energy consumption, and pollution. Students extend this learning to families through a weekly digital environmental newsletter and a student‑produced media segment that share sustainability tips and project updates with the broader community.
Community partnerships further enhance the program. Students collaborate with the Westland Recycling Drop‑Off Center, transporting recyclables weekly and gaining firsthand experience with local recycling operations. A guest speaker from DTE Energy provided insight into Michigan’s energy systems and sustainable infrastructure, reinforcing the connection between classroom learning and real‑world environmental challenges.
The program will continue to grow through a student‑led plan to revitalize the school greenhouse to produce fresh food for families in need. Together, these efforts have created a holistic, student‑powered environmental ecosystem that strengthens sustainability, education, and community engagement across the school.
At Buchanan High School, environmental science students focused their efforts on restoring a prairie habitat in one of the school courtyards. With support from the Whole Child Collaborative - a Berrien RESA Student Organization, Michigan State University's Kellogg Biological Station, and the Michigan Department of Education's Teacher of the Year Program, students tackled real-world ecological challenges. Teacher Melissa Frost shares, “We recognize the vital role that birds and pollinators play in our ecosystem, and we aim to provide them with a thriving habitat. By restoring this area, we hope to enhance water, soil, and air quality, while deepening students' connections with their surroundings. This garden is not just a chance to revitalize our environment; it is also a space for learning and enjoyment."
Working in groups, students created websites to present their solutions—ranging from removing invasive species and planting native flora, to creating ADA-accessible pathways. This hands-on project provided opportunities for nature journaling, biodiversity monitoring, and critical thinking about ecosystem health. The restored prairie now forms a habitat corridor connecting McCoy Creek to nearby neighborhoods and will serve as a living classroom for years to come.
Frost continues, “I firmly believe that students who develop a meaningful connection to their environment are more likely to become advocates for its protection in the future. As an environmental science teacher, I consider this to be one of the most important responsibilities I have—to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards." As each new class contributes to the habitat’s care, the project ensures a lasting environmental impact and inspires the next generation of ecological advocates.
At Grand Rapids Montessori Academy, E2 students led a schoolwide effort to embed environmental stewardship into daily life. With a focus on campus sustainability and local ecosystems, students designed pollinator gardens, removed invasive species, monitored storm drains, and managed composting and recycling programs throughout the school. Students also took the lead in educating staff, students, and parents in the community. Community partner, Mara Spears of Groundswell shared, “One of the most inspiring aspects of this project is how student voice drives every step. They don’t just learn about environmental issues—they actively lead the way in addressing them.”
The project included community partnerships with organizations like John Ball Zoo, Groundswell, and the West Michigan Environmental Action Council. Students raised Chinook salmon for release into the Grand River, conducted stream sampling at Highland Park, and helped lead the City Nature Challenge using iNaturalist.
Whether educating peers, creating detailed garden maps, or presenting at STEAM Day events, students brought creativity, leadership, and passion to every part of the project. Their ongoing work exemplifies how sustainability can be woven into both classroom learning and community action. Spears adds, “This project encourages lifelong stewardship of the Great Lakes (and beyond), by guiding students to learn more and identify what they really care about, listening to what is important to students, and empowering them to make changes and educate others. Students are “taking care” of places around them and understanding the connections to the Great Lakes Watershed/ Ecosystem to further deepen their understanding of place.”
